Point of View of the President By Stonehill President/CEO Eric L. Thomas I was in Dallas recently and heard a great speaker talk about “blue zones.” I encourage you to look up this term if you are interested in learning about how others live a healthy lifestyle. Many times I’ve referred to Stonehill as a “blue zone” just because we’ve had so many centenarians of our own – a testament to the care you provide, the compassion you show to others and to a strong social network of our own. I’ve listed the “power 9” below from these other cultures for you to examine in this newsletter. 1. Knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy. The Okinawans call it ikigai and the Nicoyans call it plan de vida—for both, it translates to why I wake up in the morning.” Begin investigating your own purpose, by creating an internal inventory of your life. Try to articulate your values, passions, gifts and talents. What are the things you like to do and the things you dont? Then incorporate ways to put your skills into action in ways that will add meaning to your life and the lives of others. 2. Stress leads to chronic inflammation, which is associated with every major age-related disease. Although everyone experiences stress, the worlds longest-lived people have routines to shed that stress. Okinawans take a few moments each day to remember their ancestors, Adventists pray, Ikarians take a nap and Sardinians do happy hour. 3. The 80% Rule is a strategy that focuses on taking things out of everyday diets, instead of putting more things in. Saying Hara hachi bu, the 2500-year old Confucian mantra, before meals, reminds Okinawans to stop eating when their stomach is 80% full. This 20% gap between not being hungry and feeling full could be the difference between losing weight and gaining it. 4. While most people in the Blue Zones® areas only consume small amounts of meat on rare occasions, all of them eat a rich array of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are packed with disease-fighting nutrients. The cornerstone of most centenarian diets is beans, favorites including fava, black, soy and lentils. 5. Thanks to healthy plant compounds and antioxidants, wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slow the progression of neurological disorders like Alzheimers and Parkinsons Disease. 6. The worlds longest-lived people are either born into or choose to create social circles that support healthy behaviors. Ikarians enjoy tight-knit communities that socialize frequently, while Okinawans build moai groups of five friends that commit to each other for life. Research from the Framingham Studies shows that smoking, obesity, happiness and even loneliness are contagious. Assessing who you hang out with, and then proactively surrounding yourself with the right friends, will do more to add years to your life than just about anything else. 7. All but five of the 263 centenarians interviewed in the original Blue Zones® areas studies belonged to some faith-based community. It doesnt matter if youre Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish or another religion. What matters is that you attend regularly and truly feel part of a larger group. Research shows that attending faith-based services four times per month will add 4-14 years of life expectancy. 8. Happy, healthy centenarians in the Blue Zones® areas put their families first. This can take shape in many ways, from keeping your aging parents and grandparents in or near your home to being in a positive, committed relationship, which can add up to 6 years of life expectancy. Caring for children is important for many reasons, too, and many people in the Blue Zones areas go out of their way to invest time and love their children to ensure theyll be more likely to care for them when the time comes. Source: https://bluezonesproject/power9#next
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 15:52:46 +0000
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